Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 2 1926.

H. A. WALLACE RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 1. 1924 INVENTOR Z ,4. amm,

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Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

' UNITED STATES PATENT orrics.

HERBERT A. WALLACE, or nnenwoon canons-n, rnNNsYLvANIA, AssreNoa TO THE UNION swrrcn & SIGNAL COMPANY, or swrssvnnn, PENNSYLVANIA, A oonronn- IION OIE PENNSYLVANIA. v

RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed March 1, 1924. Serial No. 696,339.

Toall whnm it may concern: i

Beit known that I, HERBERT A. WALLACE,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Trafiic-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway trafiic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising train-carried governingmeans controlled by currents in the trackway. More particularly the present invention relates to the trackway portion of such apparatus.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of trackway apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a railway along which trafiic normally moves in the direction indicated by'the arrow. The track is divided by insulated joints 2 in both rails into a plurality of successive blocks, of which only one complete block A-Cis shown in the drawing. Located in this block AC is a switchD leading intoa siding E, and immediately in advance of the switch D the two track rails l-and 1 are divided by insulated joints 2, so that the block A-G is made up of two sections A-B and B-G, which I will term the forward and the rear section, respectively.

terminal of which is connected with a third rail or trolley 19, and the other terminal bonds 6 and conductor ,8 will conduct P120 E, the primary of which'is constantly supplied with alternating current from a gen erator G through the medium of a transmission line 18. The relative polarity of the current supplied transformer T is controlled by contacts 8 andt of a track relay 1 R connected with the rails of the block immediately to the leftof point A. When relay R is energized, the circuit for the primary of transformer T is from the sec ondary of transformer E, through wires 20 and 21, front contact 1 of relay R wires 9 and 10, primary of transformer T wires 12 and 11, front-contact 3 of relay P and wires 22, 23 and 24 to the secondary of transformer E. The currentiwhich is then supplied to the rails of section Al3 is of what I will term normal relative polarity. 'VVhentrack relay R is deenergized, the circuit for transformer T is from the secondary of transformer E, through wires 20 and 21, back contact 3 of track relay R wires 11 and 12, primary of transformer T wires 10 and 9, back contact 4: of relay R and wires 25, 23 and 24, to the secondary As here shown, alternating propulsi0ncurrent is furnished by a generator G one of transformer E. 'The current which is then supplied to the rails of section A-B is of what I will term reverse relative polarity. The rear section 13-0 is provided with a track circuit comprising a transformer T the secondary of which is' connected across the rails adjacent the exit end of the section, and a track relay R connected across the'rails adjacent the entrance end of the section. The primary of transformer T is supplied with alternating current from the secondary of transformer E, through the pole-changing contacts 3 and 4; of track relay R and this supply is con trolled by th rrentcentact 5 oftrack re lay R and by a circuit. controller 16 op.- erated' by the switch D and closed only when this switch is in normal position, that is, in position for traflic from point C to 13'. former T passes from wire 11, through wire 13, primary of transformer T wire 14, front contact 5 of track relay R wire 15, circuit controller 16, and wire 17 to wire 9. It will be seen, therefore, that cur.- rent is supplied to the rails of section BG only when section: A-B is unoccupied and switch D is in the'normalrposition, and that the current thus supplied to section BC will be of normal or reverse relative polarity according as track relay R is energized 0r de energized.

Local train, governing current is supplied to the rails of: block AC by a transformer F, the primary of which is constantly con nected with the secondary of transformer E. One terminal of the secondary of transformer F is connected by wire 26 with the conductor 8 at point C, while the other terminal of. this. secondary is connected by wire 27 with conductor 8 at point A. It follows that local train governing current is constantly supplied. tothe rails of block A-G and that this current. flows through the two rails 1 and 1 in multiple. It is, of course, understood that: the inductive bonds 6' and the conductor 8 at point B freely transmit this local:v current around the insulated oints 2.- inthe same way that these elementstransmit. propulsion current around such joints,

The trackwayl apparatus shown in the drawing is intended: for. co-opera-tionwith governing apparatus carried by a. train in such manner that when the train occupies a portionof track whichis supplied with track circuit current of: normal relative polarity and; also with localccu'rrent a proceed indication is given aboard the train; that, when the train occupies a portionv of, track which 1 is supplied with track circuit current of reverse relative polarity and also with local current, a. stop indication is. given. aboard the train; andathat when the train occupies av portion of track from which the supply .v ofeither track circuit or local current has been discontinued, astop indicationis; also given aboard the train. It follows that both the track circuit currentandthe-local' current; are used as train controlling currents.

The operation ofthe apparatus; as shown in the drawing is as follows: When the block A C is unoccupied, and, the'switch D is in normal position, a train passing through thisiblockwill receive, aproceed or a; stop indication throughout the entire length of the block according as track relay RA for the block next in advance is energized or, de -energized. lfsectionA eB is,

occupied; also atrain enteringsection 'BC Wlll receive a stop indication because the The circuit for the primary of transsupply of track circuit current to this section is discontinued at contactli of track relay R. If switch D is reversed, a train entering section will receive a stop indication because the supply track circuit current to the rails of this section is-discontinued at circuit controller 16". If, however,

switch D ismoved tov the reverse position while altrain occupies section AB, such train willnot receive a stop indication due to the reversal of switch D because this switch does not controlcthe supply of track circuit current to thera'ils of section A-B. I Oi leimporta-nt feature ofcmy invention is the fact that if the switch Dis reversed immediately after a train has passed such switch, it will haveno effect upon the indication given aboard the train, and that I accomplish thisresult without interrupting the local current supplied by the secondary of trans-former F.

It should be; pointed out that the distance between the switch and point B should be less than the total length of the shortest train operated overthe stretch shown since if 'it were not, a trainfafter passing the switch and before reaching. section, A-B would receive a, stop indication if thesWitch were reversed behind the train.

As shown in. the drawing, each block is provided with. av wayside signal S, but inasmuch as these signals form no part of my present invention I have omitted the means for.- controlling. them in order to, simplify the disclosure'.

Although-- I have herein shown; and describedonly one formof apparatus embodying my invention, itis understood that various changes, and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, 7

Having. thus described my invention, what I claimis: i

I. In combination, a block of railway track divided into a forward section and a rearsection', a switch v in said rear section, a track. relay for said forward section, and means controlled by said relay andresponsiveto the position of said; switch for at times supplying said rear section. with track circuit current.

2. In combination, a block of railway track divided into a forward. section and a rear. section, means forsupplying track circuit;- current to the front end of said forward section, a track relay connected with the rear end of said forward section, aswitch capableof assuming' a; normal or a reverse position andlocatedadjacent thefront end of said rear section, and means controlled-by:- saldtrack relay and responsive to the position of-vsaid switch for at times supplylng track clrcuitcurrent. to said rear section.

3.111 combination, a block of railway track divided into a forward section and a rear section, means for supplying track circuit current to the front end of said forward section, a track relay connected with the rear end of said forward section, a switch capable of assuming a normal or a reverse position and located adjacent the front end of said rear section, and means for supplying track circuit current to the rails of the rear section when said track relay is energized and said switch is in the normal position.

i. Traclrway apparatus adapted for cooperation with train carried governing means arranged to indicate proceed when the track occupied by the train is supplied with local current .and also with track circuit current but to indicate stop when either or both of such currents is interrupted, said apparatus comprising a block of railway track, comprising a forward section and a rear section, a switch located adjacent the front end of said forward section, means for supplying local current to the rails of the entire block, means for supplying said forward section with track circuit current, a track relay for said for ard section, and means controlled said relay and by said switch for supplying track circuit current to said rear section.

5. In combination, an electric railway comprising an insulated block divided into a forward and a rear track section by insulated joints, inductive bonds for conducting the propulsion current around the insulated joints separating said sections, means for supplying local train controlling current to the two track rails in multiple throughout the length of said block, an alternating current track circuit for said forward section, a switch located in said rear section, and means controlled jointly by said track circuit and said switch for supplying alternating track circuit current to the rear section.

' 6. Railway tra'liic controlling apparatus comprising a block of railway track divided into a forward and a rear section, means controlled by traflic conditions in advance of said block for supplying track circuit cur-' rent of normal or reverse relative polarity to the ralls of both of sald sectlons, a swltch located in said rear section, and means for into a forward and a rear section, means controlled by traffic conditions in advance of said block for supplyingtrack circuit current of normal or reverse relative polarity to the rails of both of said sections, a switch located in said rear section, and means for controlling the supply of track circuit current to the rails of the rear section by (radio conditions in the forward section and by said switch.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided into a forward section and a rear section, a switch in said stretch capable of assuming a normal or a reverse position and so located that the distance between said switch and the junction of said sections is less than the length of the trains using such stretch, and means for supplying track circuit current to said rear section only I when said switch is in the normal position 'but for supplying track circuit current to said forward section independently of said switch.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

HERBERT A. WALLACE. 

